Steam Chaser · 65 stories

Steam from Seoul

I write about meals and restaurant visits in Seoul. · Writes about: Books & stationery · Beauty products · Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Shopping · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae pizza pub after a Friday street event: Monde Set at Raymond's

Raymond's Hongdae (레이몬드 홍대점) is a pizza, chicken and craft beer pub on Yanghwa-ro 18an-gil, near Hongdae Square in Mapo, Seoul. After watching a Friday-night street event in Hongdae, the blogger ordered the Monde Set by table order: a table-filling pizza, crispy-outside, juicy-inside boneless chicken and thin fries, eaten by hand with disposable gloves and a range of sauces from the self-service bar. Raymond's Hongdae is a good place to end a Hongdae outing with pizza, chicken and craft beer all in one spot.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Poke & soup lunch in Seolleung: smoked duck + mushroom soup, Hola Poke

Hola Poke Seolleung Branch is a poke and salad shop on the second floor in an alley off Seolleung-ro 86-gil in Gangnam, Seoul. On a day of training near Seolleung Station, the writer and a friend ordered smoked duck poke with mushroom soup and steak poke with tomato soup at the kiosk, then ate them with the shop's recommended sauce. For anyone after a light but filling lunch near Seolleung Station, the poke-and-hot-soup combo at Hola Poke Seolleung Branch is a good fit.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Korean BBQ in Jongno 3-ga: potato wraps & kimchi stew, Cham

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점) is a pork belly Korean BBQ restaurant on the ground floor of the Piccadilly CGV building, right by Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul. Looking for a warm indoor spot for a get-together on a cold day, the writer ordered 2 servings of five-layer pork belly (ogyeopsal), kimchi stew and steamed egg. The staff grilled the pork, which the writer wrapped on thin potato slices grilled on the same plate, with wasabi, meljeot (salted anchovy sauce) and myeongi (pickled wild garlic leaves). Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is a solid Jongno 3-ga pick when you want a spacious room and to be served your meat.

Written Nov 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Okjeong, Yangju kimchi stew & rolled omelet set, first try: Choi Budae

Choi Budae Jjigae (최부대찌개) is a Korean restaurant on Okjeong-ro 10-gil in Okjeong-dong, Yangju, Gyeonggi, specializing in budae jjigae (army stew) and kimchi stew. A regular who usually orders the army stew tried the kimchi stew and rolled omelet set for the first time and loved the deep broth made with finely chopped raw pork and aged kimchi, plus the melt-in-your-mouth rolled omelet. Although the owner is running Choi Budae Jjigae alone for now after giving birth, the self-serve bar and after-meal coffee and plum tea make it a standout neighborhood restaurant in Okjeong.

Written Apr 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Army stew lunch near Seongsu Station, sold-out fried sundae: Songtan

Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae Seongsu Branch is a Songtan-style budae jjigae (army stew) restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building near Seongsu Station in Seongdong, Seoul. On a chilly day, the writer ordered Songtan-style army stew for 2 with assorted sausage and ramen noodles added. The standard ham and sausage alone were plenty, and the self-serve bar offered rice, scallion kimchi and stir-fried fish cake to take as you like. The fried sundae (Korean blood sausage), said to be a specialty, was sold out. Songtan Jindaegwang Budae Jjigae is a Seongsu Station lunch spot worth a return visit, if only for that fried sundae.

Written Nov 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Late-night Yeouido burger joint after an anniversary cruise: Dumburger

Dumburger Yeouido is a late-night handmade burger joint on Uisadang-daero 1-gil in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, near Yeouido Station and IFC. On their wedding anniversary, the writer and her husband stopped by for a late dinner after a Seoul Cruise and The Hyundai Seoul. The 20-a-day Dumshrimp Burger (₩13,900) was already sold out, so they ordered the Bacon Cheese Burger set (₩15,900) and the Dumbird Burger. Both burgers at Dumburger Yeouido were good enough to make up for missing the shrimp burger.

Written Nov 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Pot rice spot in Munjeong Terra Tower: spring sea bream at Gome Mui

Gome Mui Songpa Munjeong (고메무이 본점) is a pot rice (sotbap) and tonkatsu restaurant on the first basement floor (B1) of Terra Tower A by Munjeong Station in Songpa, Seoul. On an evening visit for the fillet katsu (hirekatsu), which turned out to be sold out, the writer ordered the steak pot rice and the spring herb wild sea bream pot rice instead. Both were mildly seasoned and clean-tasting, and pouring tea into the pot to finish with scorched rice (nurungji) was a delight. For a light, neatly prepared pot rice meal near Munjeong Station, Gome Mui Songpa Munjeong is a good fit.

Written Nov 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimpo, GyeonggiCafés

Gurae castella bakery, Gimpo: Children's Day church gifts, Jinsim

Jinsim Castella Gimpo Gurae Main Branch is a castella bakery in the Olyoung Building in Gurae-dong, Gimpo. The writer picked up pre-ordered castella cakes from Jinsim Castella to hand out as Children's Day gifts at Sunday church. For Parents' Day, the writer gave older relatives Jinsim Castella's cream castella instead of a regular cream cake, and they loved how light and not-too-sweet it was. For May group gifts or snacks for kids and seniors, Jinsim Castella's moist castella is a safe choice.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGimpo, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gimpo Korean restaurant with a kimchi jjim self-bar: Bomseol Gimpo

Bomseol Gimpo (한식공간 온) is a newly opened Korean set-meal restaurant on Geomdan-ro in Gamjeong-dong, Gimpo, near Positive Space 566. At Bomseol Gimpo the writer had the signature On Healthy Table of braised half-dried pollack, stone pot rice and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), plus a self-bar with kimchi jjim, barley bibimbap and dongchimi, and found everything mild and clean-tasting rather than spicy or salty. For a family meal or company dinner with gentle Korean food, Bomseol Gimpo is a good fit.

Written May 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ, remote waitlist & dropwort potato wraps: Cham

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점) is a pork BBQ restaurant on the first floor of Piccadilly CGV near Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul, where staff grill the meat for you from start to finish. The writer stopped by on a work trip to Jongno, joined the Catch Table remote waitlist, and ordered pork belly, five-layer belly, steamed egg and bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles), singling out the potato wrap of grilled potato slices topped with pork and Korean dropwort (minari) as an unusual pairing. Verdict: Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is worth the wait, and a return visit is planned.

Written May 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGapyeong, GyeonggiShopping

Cheongpyeong butcher: pork tomahawk & lamb chops, Ari Chuksan

Ari Chuksan (아리축산) is a butcher shop on Gangbyeon-ro in Cheongpyeong, Gapyeong, selling hanwoo (Korean beef), Korean pork and lamb chops along with vegetables and salted seafood. On a Cheongpyeong pension trip, the writer bought a Korean pork tomahawk (dombahawk), pork shoulder rack, young lamb chops and perilla leaves; Ari Chuksan added cumin and olive oil for the lamb, and free hanwoo tendon went into a doenjang (soybean paste) stew. Ari Chuksan suits anyone who wants fresh, locally bought meat for a Gapyeong or Cheongpyeong pension BBQ.

Written May 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae group dinner BBQ: whole pork belly with minari, Mapo Gui

Mapo Gui Madang Seogyo Direct Branch is a pork belly restaurant at 49 Woldeukeopbuk-ro in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, near Hongdae. The table ordered 2 servings of whole pork belly that arrives pre-grilled, grilled minari (water dropwort) alongside it, and added a fluffy 'bomb' steamed egg, bibim jjolmyeon (spicy chewy noodles) and a cider. With parking in the building and roomy seating, Mapo Gui Madang Seogyo Direct Branch was a satisfying pick for a group dinner in Hongdae and Seogyo-dong.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored